Explosion-operated tool



May 27 1958 H. BEHREND 2,835,894

ExPLoswN-oPERATED Toor.

Filed Nov. 20, 1952 3/ 23 a 9 fa i5/5 ,f2/9

United States Patent C) EXPLOSION-OPERATED TOOL Herbert Behrend,Duesseldorf-Unterath, Germany Application November 20, 1952, Serial No.321,626 Claims priority, application Germany November 21, 1951 9 Claims.(Cl. 144.5)

The invention relates to an explosion-operated tool or device fordriving steel pins or bolts into construction parts, such as masonry,concrete, structural iron and steel, or other materials by means ofgunpowder. There are known devices of this kind which, however, havemany disadvantages. A principal diiiiculty is that all such devices mayalso be operated with their splinter-guard sleeve removed, which leadsfrequently to undesired accidents. Another disadvantage is that thebarrel of the tool must be unscrewed or disassembled from the casingtherefor for each operation or discharge, or else must be securedtherein by a slide catch, which involves considerable loss of time.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the invention to provide meanseliminating these disadvantages without sacrifice ofthe advantages ofheretofore known explosionoperated devices.

The device according to the invention is held with its end or mouthpressed rmly against the wall to be worked upon, thereby displacing thecasing relative to the barrel and an associated firing block andtensioning the firingpin spring so that the device is immediately readyfor operation or discharge. According to the invention, how ever, thiscan happen only when the splinter-guard sleeve displaces an expansion orball sleeve which would otherwise stop o1' impede the motion of thecasing if the operator should omit the guard sleeve due to oversight orfor purpose of convenience. The discharge could then not occur. Y V

Another feature of the invention is to provide means whereby the barrel,after insertion of the fastener and cartridge thereinto, may be pushedor inserted into the device without being threaded ithereinto. Thelocking or coupling of the block to the barrel for the discharge of acartridge by means of a firing pin is likewise effected by an expansionor coupling sleeve which is fully actuated when the device is pressedagainst the wall to be worked upon. This results in the possibility ofemploying re peater, as well as single-short barrels, since it is nowpossible to rotate the barrel in normal position so as to bring onecharge after another in front of the firing pin.

Other advantages of the device according to the invention are manifold,and only the more important ones will be here indicated. It hasfrequently happened that bolts driven into concrete have encounteredpebbles beneath the surface of the wall and were then deflected, andemerged from the Wall immediately alongside `'the tool. When theguard-sleeve was not applied or in place, the operatorwas inevitablyinjured. In the device according to the invention, it is impossible `toproduce the discharge without having the guard `sleeve `in place.

Still another important advantage ofthe device accordingto the inventionis thatthe barrel need merely be inserted into the toolftherebyaffording a far more rapid operation than heretofore experienced. Thisis especially soif a repeater barrel` is employed. 1

Theseand.otheradvantages of lthe invention will bej, 2,835,894 PatentedMay 27, 1958 "ice come apparent from the following detailed description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

ln the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the loaded device madeaccording to the invention, and shown in normal position together withthe splinter-guard sleeve;

Fig. 2 shows the device according to Fig. 1, immediately beforedischarge;

Fig. 3 shows the device according to the invention, withoutsplinter-guard sleeve, with the barrel locked accordinsly;

Fig. 4 shows a modification of the barrel when used as a repeater;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of an expansion sleeve;

Fig. 6 shows a ball sleeve.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, Fig. l represents a loadedtool according to the invention and prior to its operation. The toolcomprises a barrel 3 provided with a central bore or passageway, thebarrel being shown to be loaded with a fastener 1 and a cartridge 2. Thebarrel is located within casing S and is maintained in position by thecoaction of recess 20 in casing 5 with tapered or conical flexible jawsor lugs 22 of a rst eX- pansion sleeve f-l, said expansion sleeve beingan extension of block'23 located against the inner end of the barrel.

The jaws of the expansion sleeve 4 are provided with internal grooves 29which correspond with external grooves 3l) on the barrel 3. A secondexpansion sleeve 6 is positioned between the barrel and Ithe casing andabuts with its rear end against the adjacent ends of lugs 22 ofexpansion sleeve 4, while its lugs 22 rest in recess 21 of the casing.Immediately beyond expansion sleeve 6, the barrel 3 is provided with ashort intermediate portion a of reduced diameter. Splinter guard sleeve7 abuts at one end against forward extremity of lugs 22 of expansionsleeve 6 and fits snugly in the space between barrel 3 and the forwardend of casing 5. The other end of splinter guard 7 is enlarged, asshown, in order to shield the operator from particles of gunpowder,mortar, etc.

Within casing 5, a tiring-pin releasing bolt or latch 8 isV positionedand held in position by a leafspring 9. The bolt has a centralcylindrical opening which is normally out of alignment with the centralcylindrical opening in block 23. A cup-shaped member 31 positionedwithin casing 5 abuts bolt or latch 8 and has a central opening alignedwith that of block 23. Spring sleeve or housing 12 reaches at one endinto member 31 and carries firing pin 10 which projects through theopening of member 31 and is provided with an impact tip 27 extendinginto the cen tral opening of bolt or latch 8. Enlarged head 23 isattached to the firing pin and limits forward movement of the firing pinrelative to spring housing 12.

Firing-pin spring 11 is accommodated within spring housing 12 underslight compression, bearing at one end against enlarged head 28 and atthe other end against perforated plate 19.

Sleeve 14, accommodated within casing 5, engages spring housing 12 andcontains perforated plate 19 and a spring 13 which is provided tocompensate for any unevenness in the wall. Thus, if there are any bulgesor depressions in the wall W, the compressibility of spring permits someadditional movement of splinter guard '7, casing 5 and its associatedpar-ts until the front edge of guard 7 is coplanar with the front faceof barrel 3, as may be seen in Fig. 2. Spring 13 is held in place bypressure head 16 secured to the outside of casing 5. Spring 15 surroundsrings housing 12 and bears against member 31 and sleeve 14.

The firing-pin releasing means additionally comprise a leafspring 18which lies inside casing 5 and extends from latch 8 to the area occupiedby spring 15. Rivet 24 secures leafspring 18 to the casing. Latchactuating button 17 is fixed to leafspring 1S and extends movablythrough a lateral bore in casing 5.

In operation, the front end of barrel 3 is placed against a constructionpart, such as wall W, which is to bc pierced by bolt or pin 1, andpressure is then applied to head i6 to move casing 5 and sleeve i4relative to barrel 3 and toward wall W. Since barrel 3, expansion sleeved and associated block 23, latch ti, cup-shaped member 3l, and firingpin l0 remain stationary as casing 5 moves forward, spring is compressedbetween the front end of sleeve 14 and the rear end of member 3i.

Simultaneously, spring 13 tends to maintain the rear flanged end ofspring housing il?, in engagement with the inner surface of the frontend of sleeve ld. rl"hus, housing l2. moves with casing S and into thecentral open portion of cup-shaped member 3E, whereby firing pin. spring11 is compressed between plate l@ and head Z3 of ring pin 1t).

Concurrently with the above described spring movements, flexible lugs 22are moved radially of and toward barrel 3 by virtue of the cammingaction of the slanted wall of recess 29. This brings the cooperatinggrooves Z9 and 3d into engagement, coupling expansion sleeve l and block23 rigidly to barrel in the meantime, expansion sleeve 6 moves withcasing 5 and, therefore, pushes splinter-guard sleeve 7 ahead of ittoward wall W.

The parts are so constructed that splinter-guard sleeve 7 abuts againstwall W so as to impede any further forward movement of sleeve 6 just asthe flexible lugs 22 of the latter are located opposite reduced portionor groove a of barrel 31, so that lugs 22 are deflected radially of andtoward barrel 3 by virtue of the camming action of the slanted wall ofrecess 2i as casing 5 moves further toward wall W. When casing 5 finallyabuts against splinter-guard sleeve 7 at b, the front end of springhousing 12 contacts the inner surface of the front end of member 31 at c(see Fig. 2) while button il? is now located opposite latch 3.

Upon movement of button 8 inwardly of casing 5, latch 8 s moved acrosscasing 5 against the force of leaf spring 9 until the central opening ofthe latch is aligned with the bore in barrel 3, the opening in block 23,and the opening in the front end of member 3ft through which firing pinit) projects. As soon as this alignment is brought about, spring illimpels firing pin iti forwardly into Contact with cartridge 2 toexploded the latter and fire pin or bolt l. into wall W. lnFig. 2, thefiring pin is shown in its forward or advanced position immediatelyprior to firing, fastener l still being present in the bore of barrel 3.

When the device is removed from the wall W after discharge, spring 15,which was compressed during the forward motion of casing 5, forcesmember 3i as well as bolt 8, block 23, barrel 3, expansion sleeves ftand 6, and splinter-guard sleeve 7 outwardly or forwardly of the casingand bach into normal position as shown in l. The lugs of both expansionsleeves 6 and i again engage the recesses 2i and 20, respectively, incasing 5, and if sleeve 12 was displaced at all it is pushed back tonormal position by spring 13 carried in sleeve lli. Another operationcycle may now ltake place.

The same cycle of operation occurs in the use of the device with arepeater barrel 3. in such a modification, of course, the firing pinand/or its impact tip will be arranged ecceiurically of the casing S,the holes in member 3l, bolt or latch 8, and block 23 being arrangedaccordingly. Such a construction will be self-evident -to those skilledin the art and thus does not appear to require further amplification orillustration. Since in the device according to the invention, the barrelis readily rotatable in normal position, the several charges may now bebrought in front of the firing-pin without diiiculty by rotation of Vthebarrel. Suitable notches or like means e (Fig. A4) are provided to aidin locating the exact positions. tllbviously, l

the rotation may alternatively be accomplished automatically.

The repeater device is prepared for the next discharge by rotating thebarrel, while in the single-shot device the barrel is removed andreloaded.

Fig. 3 illustrates the use of splinter-guard sleeve 7 as a safety meansand shows how failure to employ said splinter-guard sleeve preventsoperation of the device. Barrel 3 is placed against the wall and, underpressure applied to head 16, casing 5 moves along the barrel until thefront end of expansion sleeve 6 contacts the barrel at a', which wouldnot have been possible had the splinterguard been present. It is,therefore, evident that casing 5 is never disconnected or disengagedfrom expansion sleeve 6, the lugs 22 of sleeve 6 remaining in recess 21.

Since lugs 22' of sleeve 6 can neither move past portion l of barrel 3nor be dislodged from recess 21, casing 5 cannot move forward anyfurther. Therefore, spring housing 12 cannot contact member 31 at c. Thedimensions of the various elements are so chosen that firing cannot takeplace unless the device is in the position of 2. Spring 11 is compressedto a limited extent, but when button 17 is pressed to align the centralopenings of block 23, latch or bolt 8, and member 3l, firing pin 10cannot be propelled forwardly through the latch sufficiently to contactcartridge 2, so that no explosion results, The fastener is consequentlynot propelled into the wall.

ln lieu of an expansion sleeve as shown in Figs. 1-3 and 5, a ballsleeve as shown in Fig. 6 may be employed. Such a ball sleeve comprisesa body member 25 in radial bores of which balls 26 are resilientlymounted, which balls are radially movable, but are secured againstfalling out. In a further modification, not shown, block 23 and sleeve4, rather than being integral as in Figs, l, 2 and 3, may be separateelements connected or joined by suitable fastening means.

The invention has heretofore been described from the standpoint of abarrel which is stationary during operation while the casing movesrelative to it. It will, however, be readily seen that the reverse caneasily be true, i. e., that the casing is held stationary while thebarrel and associated parts move relative to the casing. Thus, exceptfor the change of reference or datum point, the operation of thestationary casing-movable barrel embodiment of the invention would besubstantially the same as the operation of the stationary barrel-movablecasingl embodiment of the invention described hereinabove.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described andshown in the drawing, it should be noted that the invention may berealized in modified form and adaptations of the arrangements hereindisclosed may be made as may readily occur to persons skilled in'V theart without constituting a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the objects and in the appended claims.

Thus it will he seen that there has been provided, in accordance withthe broadest aspect of the invention, a tool for driving a steel pin,bolt or like object into a construction part, comprising an elongatedbarrel having a front end and a rear end, said front end of said barrelabutting against said construction part during driving of said objectthereagainst, said barrel being provided with a longitudinal boreextending therethrough to form a passageway for a cartridge and saidobject to be driven, a casing comprising an elongated front portion anda handle portion and surrounding said barrel, said casing being movablelongitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from the frontend of the latter, means for supporting a firing pin within said casingand positioned rearwardly of said barrel, means for cooking said firingpin as said casing is moved forward relative to said barrel uponapplication of pressure against said handle portion, a guard memberhaving a sleeve portion for surrounding said front end of said barreland adapted to be received in the front portion of said casing, andmeans in said casing interposed between the latter, said Y` barrel andsaid sleeve portion and inoperable in the presence of said guard memberto prevent movement of said casing relative to the front end of saidbarrel for cocking said firing pin, but operable to prevent suchmovement in the absence of said guard member.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tool for driving a steel pin, bolt, and like object into aconstruction part; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end anda rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting against saidconstruction part during driving of said object thereagainst, saidbarrel being provided with a bore extending longitudinally therethroughto form a passageway for a cartridge and for said object to be driven, ahollow, elongated casing surrounding said barrel and movablelongitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from said frontend of the latter, respectively, a firing pin disposed within said`casing rearwardly of said barrel and in alignment with said bore andmovable longitudinally thereof, resilient means in said casing andoperatively connected to said firing pin for exerting a forward biasingforce on said firing pin, releasing means in said casing and manuallyactuatable from without the latter for releasably restraining saidliring pin against longitudinal movement toward said barrel bore underthe force of said resilient means, a splinterguard sleeve slidablydisposed within said casing and surrounding one portion of said barreladjacent said front end thereof and having a front part and a rear part,sleeve means disposed within said casing and surrounding another portionof said barrel positioned rearwardly of said splinter-guard sleeve, saidsleeve means having its forward extremity abutting against said rearpart of said splinter-guard sleeve, and means releasably connecting saidsleeve means with said casing for forward movement therewith toward saidfront end of said barrel, whereby said splinter-guard sleeve may bemoved by said casing and said sleeve means toward and for abutmentagainst said construction part, said splinter-guard sleeve beingoperable, upon abutment against said construction part, toimpedesaidforward movement of said sleeve means and to disconnect the latter fromsaid casing to thereby permit said casing to move further toward saidfront end of said barrel and cause said resilient means to exert saidforward biasing force on said tiring pin, whereby, upon actuation ofsaid releasing means, said tiring pin is forced toward said barrel forcontact with said cartridge.

2. A tool according to claim l, said sleeve means being an expansionsleeve and having at least one part movable radially of said casing andsaid barrel, said casing being provided with an internal recess foraccommodating said part prior to movement of said casing toward saidfront end of said barrel.

3. A tool for driving a steel pin, bolt, and like object into aconstruction part; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end anda rear end and an intermediate portion of reduced diameter, said frontend of said barrel abutting against said construction part duringdriving of said object thereagainst, said barrel being provided with atleast one bore extending longitudinally therethrough to form apassageway for a cartridge and for said object to be driven, a hollow,elongated casing surrounding said barrel and movable longitudinallyrelative to said barrel toward and away from said front end of thelatter, respectively, a ring pin disposed within said casing rearwardlyof said barrel and in alignment with said bore of said barrel andmovable longitudinally thereof, resilient means in said casing andoperatively connected to said ring pin for exerting a forward biasingforce on said firing pin, a firing pin latch in said casing forreleasably restraining said firing pin against movement toward saidbarrel under the action of said resilient means, means on said casingfor operating said latch and releasing said firing pin for movementtoward said barrel, a splinterguard sleeve slidably disposed within saidcasing and surrounding a portion of said barrel adjacent said front endthereof and having one front part and a rear part, and an expansionsleeve disposed within said casing and surrounding another portion ofsaid barrel disposed rearwardly of said splinter-guard sleeve, saidcasing having a recess in its internal surface, said expansion sleevebeing provided with lleXible lugs normally resting in said recess anddetlectible by said casing toward said portion of reduced diameter ofsaid barrel upon movement of said casing toward said front end of saidbarrel, the forward extremities of said lugs abutting against said rearpart of said splinter-guard sleeve, whereby said eX- pansion sleeve isreleasably connected with said casing for forward movement therewithtoward said front end of said barrel and said splinter-guard Sleeve maybe moved by said casing and said expansion sleeve toward and forabutment against said construction part, said splinterguard sleeve beingoperable, upon abutment against said construction part, to impede saidforward movement of said expansion sleeve and to disconnect the latterfrom said casing to thereby permit said casing to move further towardsaid front end of said barrel and cause said resilient means to exertsaid forward biasing force on said firing pin, whereby, upon operationof said latch said firing pin is released and forced toward said barrelfor contact with said cartridge.

4. A tool according to claim 3, further including additional resilientmeans in said casing and tensioned by movement of said casing towardsaid front end of said barrel, whereby said casing, said barrel, saidlatch, said expansion sleeve, and said splinter-guard sleeve arereturned to their normal positions with respect to each other uponwithdrawal of said barrel and said splinter-guard sleeve from saidconstruction part.

5. A tool according to claim 3, further comprising an additionalexpansion sleeve within said casing and surrounding a portion of saidbarrel rearwardly of said rst named expansion sleeve, said casing havingan additional internal recess spaced longitudinally and rearwardly ofsaid lirst named recess, said additional expansion sleeve havingflexible lugs normally resting in said additional recess and deectibleby said casing out of said additional recess and toward the periphery ofsaid barrel upon movement of said casing toward said front end of saidbarrel, said additional expansion sleeve having an aperture aligned withsaid bore in said barrel, and cooperative means on said barrel and onsaid flexible lugs of said additional expansion sleeve for coupling saidadditional expansion sleeve to saidbarrel when the exible lugs of saidadditional expansion sleeve are deflected out of said additional recessupon abutment of said front end of said barrel against said constructionpart and subsequent move-- ment of said casing toward said front end ofsaid barrel.

6. A tool for driving a steel pin, bolt or like object into aconstruction part; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end anda rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting against saidconstruction part during driving of said object thereagainst, saidbarrel being provided with a longitudinal bore extending therethrough toform a passageway for a cartridge and said object lto be driven, acasing comprising an elongated front portion and a handle portion andsurrounding said barrel, said casing being movable longitudinallyrelative to said barrel toward and away from the front end of thelatter, means for supporting a ring pin within said casing andpositioned rearwardly of said barrel, means for cooking said tiring pinas said casing is moved forward relative to said barrel upon applicationof pressure against said handle portion, a guard member having a sleeveportion for surrounding said front end of said barrel and adapted to bereceived in the front portion of said casing, and means in said casinginterposed between the latter, said barrel and said sleeve portion andinoperable in the presence of said guard member to prevent movement ofsaid casing relative to the front end of said barrel for cooking saidtiring pin, but operable to prevent such movement in the absence of saidguard member.

7. A tool according to claim 6, said casing being provided with a recessin its inner surface, said barrel being provided with an annularperipheral groove, said means interposed between said casing, saidbarrel and said sleeve portion comprising an expansion sleeve having apart normally engaged in said recess and deflectible out of said recessand into said groove upon movement of said casing toward said front endof said barrel and upon abutment of said part against said sleeveportion of said guard member.

8. An explosion operated tool, comprising an elongated barrel having afront end and a rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting againsta construction part during driving an object thereagainst, said barrelbeing provided with a longitudinal bore extending therethrough to form apassageway for a cartridge and an object to be driven, a casingcomprising an elongated front portion and a handle portion, said casingsurrounding said barrel, said casing being movable longitudinallyrelative to said barrel toward and away from said front end of saidbarrel, said casing having a recess therein, a iirst expansiole sleeveabout said barrel, said rst expansible sleeve having tapered tlexiblejaws coacting with said recess to maintain said barrel in position insaid casing, means for supporting a tiring pin within said casing andpositioned rearwardly of said barrel, means for cooking said tiring pinas said casing is moved for- Ward relative to said barrel uponapplication of pressure against said handle portion, a guard memberhaving a sleeve portion for surrounding said front end of said barreland adapted to be received in the front portion of said casing, and asecond expansible sleeve in said casing interposed between the casing,said barrel and said sleeve portion and inoperable in the presence ofsaid guard member to prevent movement of said casing relative to thefront end of said barrel for cooking said firing pin, operable toprevent such movement in the absence of said guard member.

9. An explosion operate tool for driving an object into a constructionpart; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end and a rear end,said front end of said barrel abutting against a construction partduring driving of an object thereagainst, said barrel being providedwith a longitudinal bore extending therethrough to form a passageway fora cartridge and an object to be driven, a casing comprising an elongatedfront portion and a handle portion, said casing surrounding said barrel,said casing being movable longitudinally relative to said barrel towardand away from said front end of said barrel, said casing having a firstrecess therein, a rst expansible sleeve about said barrel, said tirstexpansible sleeve having tapered flexible jaws coacting with said firstrecess to maintain said barrel in position in said casing, means forsupporting a tiring pin within said casing and positioned rearwardly ofsaid barrel, means for cooking said tiring pin as said casing is movedforward relative to said barrel upon application of pressure againstsaid handle portion, a guard member having a sleeve portion forsurrounding said front end of said barrel and adapted to be received inthe front'portion of said casing, said casing having a second recesstherein, a second expansible sleeve in said casing interposed betweensaid barrel and said sleeve portion and inoperable in the presence ofsaid guard member to prevent movement of said casing relative to thefront end of said barrel for cooking said tiring pin, but operable toprevent such movement in the absence of said guard member, said secondexible sleeve having tapered flexible lugs coacting with said secondrecess to hold said second expansible sleeve with respect to saidcasing.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

